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Volcano Art Center is proud to announce the exhibition Worldwide Voyage: Hawai’i Shares Its Culture With The World. This fine art exhibition presents the navigational story of the Hōkūleʻa’s Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, told through photographs, cultural items and art inspired by the voyage. The exhibit will be open to the public on May 20th through July 2nd at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

Star Compass by David Reisland

The Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage has taken the iconic sailing canoe Hōkūleʻa around the Earth, and her sister canoe Hikianalia around the Pacific, to promote a global movement toward a more sustainable world. The Mālama Honua (caring of Island Earth) mission seeks to engage communities worldwide in the practice of sustainable living while sharing Polynesian culture, learning from the past and from each other, creating global relationships, and inspiring action to care for and discover the wonders of Earth. Since departing Hawaiian waters in May 2014, Hōkūle‘a will have sailed approximately 60,000 nautical miles and made stops in 27 countries and 100 ports, weaving a “Lei of Hope” around the world.

During the voyage, Hōkūleʻa and her crew have been greeted and visited by global peace and ocean conservation leaders such as His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki­moon, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Jackson Brown, Sir Richard Branson and Republic of Palau President Tommy Remengesau, Jr.

Hōkūleʻa in New York Harbor

The exhibition on display consists of a collection of mounted photographs, cultural items, and art curated by Gary Eoff. The photographs, provided by the Polynesian Voyaging Society, offer a first-hand account of the navigation, ports visited and the stories of the individual navigators. The cultural items, made by Ed Kaneko and his students, as well as Gary Eoff illustrate primitive wayfaring methods and supplies used on ancient voyages. A few of the items traveled on the canoe to The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History as part of the voyage. Art work including a star compass table by David Reisland and wood bowls by Cliff Johns will also be on display.

Guided By The Stars by Gary Eoff

“Volcano Art Center wishes to extend a huge mahalo the Polynesian Voyaging Society, the ‘Oiwi Television Network and the individual photographers for sharing the visual story with us,” states Gallery Manager Emily C. Weiss. “Their mission to perpetuate the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential educational programs that inspire communities to respect and care for themselves, each other, and their natural and cultural environments, is truly something we support”, continues Weiss.

“Volcano Art Center and the artists we represent have been inspired by the courage of this voyage. Navigating using only ancient wayfinding practices, without modern instruments, using stars, winds and waves is remarkable. While most people are turning to technology for everything, it is absolutely refreshing to witness the opposite. Timing the exhibit with the completion of the actual voyage is no accident. We hope to honor the homecoming by sharing with the canoe and crew just how much their strength, determination and knowledge has inspired us.”

Volcano Art Center is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization created in 1974 whose mission is to promote, develop and perpetuate the artistic, cultural and environmental heritage of Hawaii through arts and education. The exhibit is sponsored by the Hawai’i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Please visit www.volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has opened an additional application period for its Preschool Open Doors (POD) program and encourages families to apply between May 1 and May 31, 2017. Applications received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018.

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This program, which currently serves more than 1,700 children statewide, provides child care subsidies to eligible low- and moderate-income families to pay preschool tuition. POD aims to provide children whose families might otherwise not be able to afford preschool the opportunity to gain essential skills to be successful in school and in life.

To qualify for the program, children must be eligible to enter kindergarten in the 2018-2019 school year (born between August 1, 2012 and July 31, 2013). Families are reminded that a child must be five years old on or before July 31 to enter kindergarten. Families may choose any one of the 433 State-licensed preschools. Underserved or at-risk children receive priority consideration for the POD program, and funds are limited.

Interested families may request an application beginning Monday, May 1, 2017 from the Department’s POD contractor, PATCH, by visiting or calling 791-2130 or toll free 1-800-746-5620. PATCH can also help families locate a preschool convenient for them.

Applications must be received by Wednesday, May 31, 2017 to be considered during the July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018 program period. Applications should be dropped off, mailed, faxed, or emailed to the following:

After more than a month of rehabilitation a pueo (Hawaiian Short-Eared Owl) was released late yesterday on private ranch land in west Kaua‘i. The release site is near to where the young bird was rescued in late March and taken to the Save our Shearwaters (SOS) facility at the Kaua‘i Humane Society.

Dr. Andre Raine of the Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project (KESRP), spotted the bird struggling alongside the highway on March 22nd. Raine normally works with threatened and endangered seabirds, which given him a keen eye for all bird species. His wife and daughter watched, as his son was given the honor of opening a cardboard carrier to let the rehabilitated pueo return to the wild.

Tracy Anderson of SOS said, “After Dr. Raine brought the bird to us, we treated her head and eye injuries and a fractured radius in her left wing. On April 11th she was flown to the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center on the Big Island so that she could continue her rehabilitation in their large flight aviary. She healed up nicely and was flying so the wildlife center sent her back to us yesterday for release.” Anderson theorizes the young pueo was hit by a car. Owls are often attracted to roadsides by rats and mice, which in turn are attracted by the easy pickings of food scraps and rubbish discarded by people. Anderson and others who work with endemic birds like the pueo remind people that the act of throwing trash on the ground not only impacts the environment visually but can have a direct and detrimental effect on wildlife like pueo.

Pueo are found on all of the main Hawaiian Islands and on Oah‘u they are listed by the State as endangered. Specific population numbers are hard to come by. On Oah‘u, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is currently developing study parameters for conducting an island-wide survey of the owl. The pueo is one of the more famous of the various physical forms assumed by ʻaumākua (ancestor spirits) in Hawaiian culture.

On a country road, near Kalāheo, eight- year- old Callum Raine, under the watchful eye of Anderson slowly opens the box carrying the pueo and tips it up. The bird looks around for a few seconds and then hops out onto the road. It then spends a few minutes fluffing its wings and surveying its territory before flying off into the sunset. Prior to its release a metal band with a unique identifying number was put on one of its legs so it can be identified if it’s ever picked up again.

The owl’s fate is much more positive than that of a pueo rescued by an Oah‘u family on a North Shore road earlier this year. A fracture in that bird’s wing was not going to heal properly, it would not be able to fly again, so it had to be put to sleep.

Big Island police are renewing their request for information regarding an unsolved murder investigation from 1987.

Today marks 30 years since the murder of 26-year-old Lynn Ebisuzaki. On May 1, 1987, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Hilo patrol officers responded to a home in the 500 block of Kanoelehua Avenue to look for a missing female. They learned that 26-year-old Lynn Ebisuzaki was last seen exiting the residence at 9:15 p.m. and failed to return. Officers conducted a search of the property and adjoining properties and eventually located the lifeless body of the young female.

An autopsy determined that Ebisuzaki died as a result of a stab wound. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Police ask anyone with inform ation of the murder to contact Detective Derek Morimoto of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2380 or Derek.Morimoto@hawaiicounty.gov.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Keiki from ages seven to 13 years old are invited to become “Next Generation Stewards” in the free summer junior ranger program through Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. A fun-filled, three-day program for keiki ages seven to 10 is June 6-8, and a program for youngsters ages 11 to 13 is June 13-15.

Each age group begins Tuesday and ends on Thursday. For the first two days, “Next Generation Stewards” begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. On the last day (Thursday), the program begins at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 7 p.m. The programs will start and end at the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai.

The summer junior ranger program is designed to encourage a child’s enthusiasm for conservation by connecting the child with park resources and staff, and to inspire his or her appreciation of what is uniquely Hawaiian by exploring the natural and cultural heritage of Hawai‘i.

Participants must bring and be able to carry their own day pack with water, snacks, lunch, and raingear, and hike for age-appropriate distances over uneven terrain at a leisurely pace. All interested applicants must submit an application to register. Contact Education Specialist Gwen “Lanakila” Anderson at (808) 985-6020 or email gwen_anderson@nps.gov for information and an application.

Applications are due by noon on Wednesday, May 17, and selections will be made, and parents notified, on May 18.

The summer “Next Generation Stewards” junior ranger program is co-sponsored by the Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association and the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Park entrance fees apply.

A 43-year-old Kailua-Kona man was involved in a two-vehicle traffic casualty on Friday evening (April 28) at the intersection of Hinalani Street and Kamanu Street, Kailua-Kona Hawaii.

He has been identified as Elvis Sheppard.

Responding to a 7:36 p.m. call, police determined that a 2016 Honda motorcycle operated by Elvis Sheppard had been traveling east on Hinalani Street when it was involved in a broadside collision with a 2006 Kia four-door sedan operated by 61-year-old Kailua-Kona man who failed to yield the right of way to the motorcycle as he executed a left turn (west direction) from Kamanu Street onto Hinalani Street.

Following the collision, the operator of the Kia sedan was un-injured, but Sheppard was taken to the Kona Community Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Sheppard remained at the Kona Community Hospital thru the evening where he was noted to be in critical condition. Sheppard succumbed to his injuries on Saturday (April 29) where he was pronounced dead at 10:24 a.m.

Police believe that speed and inattention were factors in the crash, and an autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

The Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a Negligent Homicide investigation and is asking anyone who may have witnessed the accident to contact Officer Justin Hooser at 326-4646, ext. 229. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo.

This is the 9th traffic fatality this year compared to ten at this time last year.

A 48-year-old Hilo man died following a single vehicle crash Friday night (April 28) on Highway 11 just south of the 99 mile marker.

He was identified as Robbie Weeks.

Responding to a 7:47 p.m. call Friday, police determined that a 1992 Mazda two door convertible sedan operated by Weeks had been traveling north on Highway 11 between the 98 and 99 mile markers when he failed to negotiate a right curve, crossed left of center on the roadway and ran off of the west side of the road overturning down an embankment.

Weeks was taken to the Hilo Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:54 a.m. Saturday (April 29).

Police believe speed and inattention were factors in the crash.

An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

The Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the accident to contact Officer Christopher Kapua-Allison at 326-4646, ext. 229. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo.

This is the 8th traffic fatality this year compared to ten at this time last year.